Conservation Projects
The Deep, as a member of the European Union of Aquarium Curators (EUAC), works in conjunction with the Fish and Aquatic Invert Taxon Advisory Group (FAITAG) on conservation projects of National, European and Global significance. The Deep’s Director of Husbandry and Conservation, Dr. David Gibson, is also a co-coordinator of the European Elasmobranch Aquatic Sustainability Programme (ASP), as such he helps to coordinate shark conservation initiatives within the European Zoo and Aquarium community.
PhD in The captive reproduction of the Sand Tiger Shark (Carcharias taurus).
This is a jointly funded project between The Deep and the University of Hull. It is jointly supervised by Dr. David Gibson, The Deep and Dr. Andrew Lawrence, University of Hull. The Sand Tiger Shark, Carcharias taurus, is a neo-tropical shark found in three distinct populations in the wild. They are found on the Eastern Seaboard of North America, The Eastern Coast of Africa and around Southern Australia. They are threatened in all of their natural range and local protection is in place in all of their natural range.
They are a very popular species in public aquariums world wide yet relatively little is known about their reproductive biology and in particular the environmental triggers responsible for successful breeding.
A critical factor in their future survival will be the full understanding of their reproductive biology and also the successful breeding of the species in captivity. If we can breed the animals already being held in aquariums then this will significantly reduce the demand on wild populations.
The PhD aims to fully investigate the husbandry of this species and develop guidelines for maximising the success of captive reproduction programmes for the species.
Husbandry and display techniques for the Cold Water Coral Lophelia pertusa.
In conjunction with the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) The Deep has been working on the techniques required to successfully collect, transport and display the hard coral Lophelia pertusa.
This is reef-building coral, which normally lives in water in excess of 150m depths. Typically it is found off of the continental shelf to the west of Ireland and Scotland. The full distribution of this species is still being investigated with significant populations still being described. For example the Darwin Mounds off of the north west coast of Scotland are a series of reefs in 1000m of water, which were only officially discovered in 1998, yet are a significant habitat for this species.
A recent summary of the biological diversity of these reefs indicated that in excess of 1000 different species of animal are associated with these habitats.
These and similar deep-water reefs are under significant threat from deep-sea fishing and other activities. This threat is particularly worrying given the enormous length of time it is estimated to take to establish one of these reefs. Some of the reefs surveyed so far are thought to be as old as 15,000 years.
In response to these threats Lophelia pertusa has been listed as a UK Biodiversity Action Plan Focus Species. The collection and trade of this species is also controlled by the CITES regulations (Convention International Trade in Endangered Species).
The Deep plans to exhibit Lophelia pertusa as part of the new Twilight Zone exhibition. Corals will be collected ethically from the legs of North Sea oil platforms. The corals colonise the legs of these structures at depths in excess of 90m. They are thought to be brought in on oceanic currents from the North Atlantic. As part of the routine maintenance of oil structures the coral colonies have to be occasionally removed to protect the structural integrity of the structures.
The Deep and SAMS are currently working in conjunction with major oil companies operating in the northern North Sea to make this possible.
Husbandry of the Pink Sea Fan (Eunicella verrucosa).
This is another species of coral found around the southwest coats of the UK. It is predominately a warm water species but it has a foothold in the shallow waters around Devon and Cornwall.
Although it is locally abundant its habitat is vulnerable to destructive inshore fishery practices such as scallop dredging. It is a slow growing species and we know little about its biology.
In conjunction with the Zoological Society of London and English Nature, The Deep has set up a three-year project to investigate its natural biology. This study will include detailed in-field studies looking at feeding, environmental parameters and reproduction in this species. We shall also collect sea fans under licence to run tank-based trials on diet and optimal husbandry techniques.
The ultimate aims of the project will be to produce husbandry guidelines for the species under the Fish and Aquatic Invertebrates Taxon Advisory Group direction.
The Pink Sea Fan is a UK Biodivrersity Action Plan focus species and the trade and collection of it is also controlled by the CITES regulations.